Focusing on structural engineering issues involved in the repair, restoration, or adaptive reuse of older buildings for which drawings no longer exist, this article is the eighth in a series about antiquated structural systems that can be adapted or reanalyzed for safe reuse. — Editor

Most of the systems that have been discussed in this series are no longer in use because they have been replaced by more innovative or more economical methods of construction.  Published 2010.0616

Focusing on structural engineering issues involved in the repair, restoration, or adaptive reuse of older buildings for which drawings no longer exist, this article is the seventh in a series about antiquated structural systems that can be adapted or reanalyzed for safe reuse. — Editor Published 2010.0224

Focusing on structural engineering issues involved in the repair, restoration, or adaptive reuse of older buildings for which drawings no longer exist, this article is the sixth in a series about antiquated structural systems that can be adapted or reanalyzed for safe reuse. — Editor Published 2010.0120

Focusing on structural engineering issues involved in the repair, restoration, or adaptive reuse of older buildings for which drawings no longer exist, this article is the fifth in a series about antiquated structural systems that can be adapted or reanalyzed for safe reuse. —Editor Published 2009.1104

Focusing on structural engineering issues involved in the repair, restoration, or adaptive reuse of older buildings for which drawings no longer exist, this article is the fourth in a series about antiquated structural systems that can be adapted or reanalyzed for safe reuse. —Editor Published 2009.0930

Focusing on structural engineering issues involved in the repair, restoration, or adaptive reuse of older buildings for which drawings no longer exist, this article is the third in a series on antiquated structural systems that can be adapted or reanalyzed for safe reuse. —Editor Published 2009.0826

This article about antiquated structural systems is the second in a series aimed at structural engineers involved in the repair, restoration, or adaptive reuse of older buildings for which no drawings exist. —Editor

Concrete and steel-framed floors constructed in the late 1800s and early 1900s often included hollow clay-tile arches that spanned between beams and girders. The arches were typically covered with a concrete topping and often had plaster applied directly to the soffit of the exposed tiles.  Published 2009.0513

Owners and developers are increasingly opting, for many reasons, to convert existing buildings for new uses.

If no drawings are available for an older building, a structural engineer will often turn to industry resources to try and determine the nature and capacity of the existing structural system. Available information is then used to confirm that the facility meets the current building code requirements or to determine what strengthening or remediation must occur to accommodate the new use intended by the architect or owner.  Published 2009.0225